1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printing apparatus with multiple ribbon cassettes to be used as a passbook printer unit for use in an automated cash-depositing/withdrawing machine, and more particularly to an improved handling system capable of multiple ribbon cassettes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with the spread of an Automated Teller Machine (hereinafter called the "ATM") such as an automated cash-depositing/withdrawing machine, automation of teller's services at counters of banks and the like has been developed rapidly, and further such services have become wealthy of variety. Under these circumstances, various types of passbook handling systems have been put to use, some of which employ multiple color (e.g. black and red) printers.
These conventional devices employing multiple color printers each have shifting and taking-up mechanisms for ink ribbons of different colors. The shifting mechanism includes a plurality of shift means for causing a required one of the ink ribbons to pass its printing head. The taking-up mechanism has driving motors for taking-up each of ribbons to a reel, respectively. A plurality of ribbons are contained in one cassette.
However, in the conventional multiple color printers, the driving motors of the shift mechanism are provided for shifting each of ribbons, so that the printer is inevitably large and hence expensive.
Further, since two or more ink ribbons of different colors are contained in one cassette, the cassette must be made large in size in order to receive such long ribbons as can be used for a long time.
In addition, even if the user wants to elongate a black ribbon only, the other ribbons must be elongated accordingly, and therefore a large size cassette is required.